Indestructibility of Vopenka's Principle

We show that Vopenka's Principle and Vopenka cardinals are indestructible under reverse Easton forcing iterations of increasingly directed-closed partial orders, without the need for any preparatory forcing. As a consequence, we are able to prove the relative consistency of these large cardinal axioms with a variety of statements known to be independent of ZFC, such as the generalised continuum hypothesis, the existence of a definable well-order of the universe, and the existence of morasses at many cardinals.Comment: 15 pages, submitted to Israel Journal of Mathematic

Set-Theoretic Geology

A ground of the universe V is a transitive proper class W subset V, such that W is a model of ZFC and V is obtained by set forcing over W, so that V = W[G] for some W-generic filter G subset P in W . The model V satisfies the ground axiom GA if there are no such W properly contained in V . The model W is a bedrock of V if W is a ground of V and satisfies the ground axiom. The mantle of V is the intersection of all grounds of V . The generic mantle of V is the intersection of all grounds of all set-forcing extensions of V . The generic HOD, written gHOD, is the intersection of all HODs of all set-forcing extensions. The generic HOD is always a model of ZFC, and the generic mantle is always a model of ZF. Every model of ZFC is the mantle and generic mantle of another model of ZFC. We prove this theorem while also controlling the HOD of the final model, as well as the generic HOD. Iteratively taking the mantle penetrates down through the inner mantles to what we call the outer core, what remains when all outer layers of forcing have been stripped away. Many fundamental questions remain open.Comment: 44 pages; commentary concerning this article can be made at http://jdh.hamkins.org/set-theoreticgeology

Universal Structures

We deal with the existence of universal members in a given cardinality for several classes. First we deal with classes of Abelian groups, specifically with the existence of universal members in cardinalities which are strong limit singular of countable cofinality. Second, we deal with (variants of) the oak property (from a work of Dzamonja and the author), a property of complete first order theories, sufficient for the non-existence of universal models under suitable cardinal assumptions. Third, we prove that the oak property holds for the class of groups (naturally interpreted, so for quantifier free formulas) and deal more with the existence of universals

On what I do not understand (and have something to say): Part I

This is a non-standard paper, containing some problems in set theory I have in various degrees been interested in. Sometimes with a discussion on what I have to say; sometimes, of what makes them interesting to me, sometimes the problems are presented with a discussion of how I have tried to solve them, and sometimes with failed tries, anecdote and opinion. So the discussion is quite personal, in other words, egocentric and somewhat accidental. As we discuss many problems, history and side references are erratic, usually kept at a minimum (``see ... '' means: see the references there and possibly the paper itself). The base were lectures in Rutgers Fall'97 and reflect my knowledge then. The other half, concentrating on model theory, will subsequently appear

On constructions with 22-cardinals

We propose developing the theory of consequences of morasses relevant in mathematical applications in the language alternative to the usual one, replacing commonly used structures by families of sets originating with Velleman's neat simplified morasses called $2$-cardinals. The theory of related trees, gaps, colorings of pairs and forcing notions is reformulated and sketched from a unifying point of view with the focus on the applicability to constructions of mathematical structures like Boolean algebras, Banach spaces or compact spaces. A new result which we obtain as a side product is the consistency of the existence of a function $f:[\lambda^{++}]^2\rightarrow[\lambda^{++}]^{\leq\lambda}$ with the appropriate $\lambda^+$-version of property $\Delta$ for regular $\lambda\geq\omega$ satisfying $\lambda^{<\lambda}=\lambda$.Comment: Minor correction

Forcing lightface definable well-orders without the CGH

For any given uncountable cardinal $\kappa$ with $\kappa^{{<}\kappa}=\kappa$, we present a forcing that is $<\kappa$-directed closed, has the $\kappa^+$-c.c. and introduces a lightface definable well-order of $H(\kappa^+)$. We use this to define a global iteration that does this for all such $\kappa$ simultaneously and is capable of preserving the existence of many large cardinals in the universe